M A S T E R P I E C E
I find myself having a different taste than most users here on MDL so I would totally not recommend it if you can't handle slow type of movie especially this one which is 2 1/2 hours long. This movie also contains sex scenes so definitely not for everyone. People with attention span of a goldfish would hate this movie.Jongsu is an aspiring writer; he also works as a part time delivery man. One day while doing his delivery task he bumps into hae min, who is apparently his childhood friend. hae min said she is going to africa and ask jongsu to look after her cat. Hae min comes back along with mysterious guy named ben. One day ben and hae min visits jongsu, later on ben confessed to jongsu his secret hobby.
It is the definition of slow burn no pun intended, utilizing the time to explore the life of the lead character, his affection to Hae min, conflicts with his family and his view to korean society. The film is a character study and Jongsu is just our extension in the movie. The movie is very philosophical in which the central theme revolves around "little and great hunger"(what we want / what we need), it is also very metaphorical, simmering with ambiguity, it's the best example of less talk see it in action and it also loaded with symbolism throughout. Though being the film a slow burn and with its 2 1/2 hours running time, it is by no means a dull or boring movie. It is a hypnotic experience and throughout the movie you will use your brain a lot as mysteries after mysteries unfolds.
Cinematography is topnotch. It's beautifully shot, able to capture the eerie atmosphere on screen. I also love the shots at dawn, it's enigmatic yet mesmerizing. Music just makes this thriller movie 100x better. It is haunting, builds tension, underlines the mood and evokes characters emotion.
Acting is masterful, might be the best I've seen in years. Let's talk about the lead girl first. Jeon Jong Seo as a free spirited gypsy is just brilliant, the way she pantomime eating orange is very believable, the philosophical element of the movie plays here, that's why that scene is important in the movie. She also not just good looking but also has great screen presence. Yoo Ah In who played Jongsu is equally brilliant. The development of his character is handled really well especially during the later part when his character became obsessed. Steven Yeun is not just a guy from walking dead, the dude can really act. I love the way he made the character more mysterious through his facial expressions.
Perfectly crafted movie, you would feel the labor of love put by a director making movies like this. It's that type of movie that you would get something new every time you watch it. Definitely the best movie I've seen this year and the best korean film I've seen in a decade. This is a masterpiece.
If you enjoy the though provoking element and the whole ambiance in this movie I'm sure you would love to read some Haruki Murakami novels.
Check my Blog for other reviews & other JDramas stuffs. (｡◕‿‿◕｡)
https://thatjapanesedramaguy.blogspot.com/
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This review may contain spoilers
(There are heavy spoilers ahead for those who haven't watched it, since this is a review mainly about the details of the plot.)Burning is the type of film that has multiple themes but still manages to bring them out clearly through layers of symbolism. Recurring themes are sprinkled throughout the run time, and seemingly unimportant details become essential to the appreciation of this work. The slow-paced, character-driven plotline may be a turn-off for certain viewers, but rewards those who are patient and attentive to details. In this review, I will try to unfold all the themes that I have observed throughout the story.
Theme #1: Fact vs Imagination
A recurring theme in the story is what is real and what not. This is first mentioned through Haemi's depiction of an imaginary tangerine, peeled and consumed between her fingers. "Rather than imagining its existence, you forget about its non-existence... and naturally your mouth waters", she says. Another instance is Haemi's cat Boil, which Haemi tells Lee Jong Soo to feed while she is gone. The cat is never seen in the apartment despite Jong Soo's frequent visits. This could be a reference to the "Schrödinger's Cat", a quantum thought experiment in which a cat is simultaneously dead and alive, until it has been observed. Another reference of this is when Ben says he is "here and there, at home and out travelling, in Korea and in Africa". Haemi also talks about falling into a well at the age of 7, feeling disappointed that Jong Soo doesn't remember him saving her at the time. After further enquiries, Haemi's family claims that there was never a well at their place, while Jong Soo's mother remembers the well having existed. Was there ever a well? Or was it all made up by Haemi? The dual nature of existence expands further to the actions of the main characters -- whether there was truly a greenhouse that Ben burnt down, why Haemi suddenly vanished, and whether Ben was the culprit behind Haemi's disappearance. Did Haemi run away to escape from her debt, commit suicide because of her existential depression, or was she really killed? Near the end, Jong Soo calls Ben's new cat "Boil", and the cat runs into his arms. We never know if this is a mere coincidence, or if Ben killed Haemi and adopted her cat. These events highlight the ambiguity and uncertainty of life, that we can never be sure about what we seem to know, and everything is up for interpretation and our own belief.
Theme #2: Presence vs Absence
Another theme is an unsettling tension caused by the desire for something and the lack thereof. The absence of Haemi and the lust that Jong Soo has for her, the absence of a mother figure in Jong Soo's life and his loneliness as a person living a solitary life in a rural area carrying the weight of his father's prosecution on his shoulders, the absence of the cat that is believed to exist, and the phone calls that remain silent regardless of anticipation. This unsettling tension is evident even to the audience, whose questions about the plot are never answered. Jong Soo fails to find enough evidence to prove that Ben killed Haemi, and it leaves us hanging forever even after the credits roll. Our emotions become one with Jong Soo, and we become Jong Soo himself -- we want to search for truth, to be certain that we know something, to the point we start to believe what we want to believe just for the sake of filling that void in our minds. The movie ends without answering any of our questions, because the essence of this movie is not what the truth is, it's how we and the main character react to not knowing the truth. Something is off, but we don't know what exactly is wrong. It's always the absence of something that makes our skin crawl. We keep answering that anonymous phone calls hoping that someone will say something, so that we can know the "who", "what" and "why", and every time they aren't answered, we feel more impatient and curious, and "burn" with the growing desire of receiving a response -- this brings us to the next theme that we will explore.
Theme #3: Burning
The title of the movie is "Burning", so there are plenty of "burning" symbolisms sprinkled throughout. The burning bonfire of the "Great Hunger" dance depicting Haemi's desperate search for the meaning of life, the burning greenhouses suggesting Ben's unruly and destructive tendencies, the burning clothes of Jong Soo's mother representing the desire to sever ties and erase memories, the burning scene of the crime when Jong Soo kills Ben representing his hatred, and the burning lust and passion that Jong Soo has for Haemi that is never satisfied after Haemi drifts apart from him and eventually disappears from his life. Even the audience experiences a burning sensation of wanting to unravel the mysteries but is unable to -- resembling a slowly burning pot that never gets to boil.
Theme #4: Working class vs The "Gatsby"
There is an apparent gap of living between Jong Soo/Haemi and Ben/Ben's female friends. While Jong Soo is unable to earn a living as a creative writer and Haemi is struggling to make ends meet with all that endless debt, Ben lives a worry-free life cooking pasta at home and blurring the line between "fun" and "work". Jong Soo cannot do anything but frown when he realizes that he has lost his love to a man in a speeding Porche. The way Ben yawns and his friends laugh is almost humiliating sometimes, even though they try to cover up their lack of interest and degrading attitude behind their noble facades. To Ben, people's possessions (and probably people too) are only toys to him, things that can disappear without a trace without drawing any attention from the police, because they are too insignificant to be concerned about. The haunting thing about this is how true it is. When Haemi disappears, nobody seems to notice or care at all, because losing one lonely and ordinary girl does not matter at all to the world. Regardless of whether Ben murdered her, the indifference of the world towards a girl's disappearance is brutal enough, and shows how frail a person's life is if they are a nobody.
Theme #5: The clash of characters
It was brought up multiple times that Jong Soo's "occupation" is a creative writer, yet we never see him writing except in two distinctive scenes. Jong Soo spends most of his time managing his father's farm, passing the time at home, feeding Haemi's unobservable cat, and satisfying his sexual desires. The only piece of writing we see from him is the petition he writes for his father who is being convicted, implying that rather than using his writing skills for creative production, he can only use them to solve his real-life issues. One of the possible reasons could be that he is incapable of writing, because he is merely a mindless empty shell stuck in his past. He resonates with Faulkner's work, because he thinks it resembles his own life (his past), but he has no other thoughts aside from this past, nor does he have enough connection with the outer world to come up with any story for a novel. Due to having a broken family and lacking maternal love he is unable to properly interact with the world and enjoy life, but deep inside he longs for a connection, and tries to address this loneliness through touching himself. He is only surviving, but not living. Haemi, on the other hand, is drowning in debts but living her life in complete spontaneity. She is free-spirited and always has her head in the clouds, as if she is drunk. She smiles at one moment, and suddenly bursts into tears in another. She dances wildly, strips herself naked, without social schema ever crossing her mind. Haemi may seem insane, but she could be the most sane character in the story -- the only character that is truly living, that knows what is real and what is not, and contemplates about life's meaning. Despite having plastic surgery, she is more raw and authentic than those who live wearing a mask. And this is what Jong Soo likes about her, but what Ben finds boring. The three characters have different personalities and backgrounds, which ignites interesting sparks in their encounters.
Theme #6: Gender roles
The movie briefly touches on topics of toxic masculinity and female oppression in society. Quoting from Haemi's friend, "there is no country for women", women are often subject to scrutiny and harsh standards. "You're ugly", "Only prostitutes take off their clothes like that in front of men", Jong Soo is the typical traditional male who applies the scrutiny of appearance and behaviour. To Jong Soo, Haemi is the target of his sexual fantasies, the serrogate of a mother figure, and just an "ugly" girl that he doesn't remember from his past but a smoking love interest after her physical transformation. Ben takes on the role of playboys in society, those who pretend to respect and treasure women because "women like that are interesting", but actually see women as objects of possession, and to the extreme in this case, "trophies" that can be collected.
There could be more themes in this movie waiting to be discovered, but the above is my take on its more easily accessible themes. Burning is a masterpiece when it comes to having multiple themes perfectly woven together and presented through a single sit-through. It is a hidden gem among the countless fast-paced Korean films of this era, as it manages to go against the tides to adopt a more relaxed pace of story-telling, and such attempt was highly successful.
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Burning is a slow-paced mystery drama that revolves around 3 main characters, all 3 very different human beings, Jong-su is a shy, soft-spoken guy who keeps to himself, Hae-mi is an outgoing, wild and idealistic girl, Ben, on the other hand, is a well-put together, charming and charismatic man, with a psychotic edge, almost alike Christian Bale in American Psycho. This film succeeds in merging 3 extremely different personalities into scenes perfectly, the attention to detail is sublime in Lee Chang-dong’s film. The personalities complements each other in different ways even though they are such distinct individuals, and that’s all up to Lee’s brilliant direction and marvelous script.
Burning is beautiful, the cinematography and the calmness within this film is something to behold. The metaphorical excellence that presents throughout as the film progresses is brilliantly executed. Burning leaves you with questions, and doesn’t feel the needs to explain. It wants the audience to find clues by themselves in small details, through Ben’s facial expressions, through small events that happen throughout the film, and by the end, you are left mostly impressed and also dumbfounded.
I sat in the theatre wondering what was gonna happen next, for such a slow-paced drama to keep me on the edge of my seat like a thriller is an amazing feat.
Burning is no doubt a masterpiece, and the style is very alike Edward Yang’s The Terrorizers, and to a small extent, A Brighter Summer Day. Burning, is no doubt, one of the best of the year so far.
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That right there is the entire heart of Murakami's story.
Yes, like every other pretentious snob I picked up a copy of Kafka On the Shore when I was a teenager and read it cover to cover by morning. And then I still remember using my measly allowance on buying whatever Murakami titles I could get my hands on because I still love paperbacks. The second purchase was the Hard Boiled Wonderland and The Elephant Vanishes. Both titles that will literally grab you and if you don't become a Murakami fan girl by then it's probably not for you.
I know I'm rambling because honestly there's a reason I used the phrase fan girl.
But while I love Murakamis works I never read him all the time. Like I love Black mirror but can't watch them without feeling all of my existential dread all at once. Give me gore I'll watch it read it no problem but when it's someone like Murakami who doesn't show a knife but you feel the cut deep down in your gut, he shows you a hole in the ground and you feel the claustrophia and choking sensation, what do you even call that?
Basically it's inscrutable horror of the worst kind.
So when I was finally able to get the courage to see Burning which btw I like Yoo Ah In obviously but ok Steven Yeun doing a Murakami interpretation-- my heart couldn't freaking handle it!!!
So many times I had to pause just to keep my heart from exploding. Fuck ok there's just something about watching THE GLENNspeak Korean asksdksds jeez he's so SEXY with that fucking charismatic look and the hypnotic voice jeeeeez and when the person you love so much does a fantastic job playing a Murakami character it's freaking Christmas and Birthday all at once.
So when I finally was able to stop fangirling long enough to watch the film it finally gutted me like I expected it to and what I loved about the film is it very much retained the main feel of Murakamis story.
I love the pantomime bit, when she peels the orange she was mesmerizing! I mean all three main leads NAILED their roles.
Jeon Jeong Seo played her earthy, bohemian, impulsive character Hae Mi in such an endearing way you couldn't help love her and even her sadness that seems to constantly plague her even though she's constantly laughing and talking, it's so heartbreaking to watch her fight those two sides of her.
YooAh In's Jong Su is a writer who is not sure about his own feelings and finds himself in an unlikely relationship with Hae Mi who's known to travel and is prone to leave for trips without telling anyone and he loves her even when she brings home Ben from her African trip.
Both Hae Mi and Jong Su are a little lost and traumatized by their pasts.
And then of course there's Ben, played by Steven Yeun who is the antithesis of everything Hae Mi is. She's bohemian, unpredictable, loud. He's practical, self-composed, hypnotic low but commanding voice.
When Hae Mi suddenly springs Ben on Jong Su he gets hurt but he also can't stop being a little fascinated by him. He even calls him Gatsby, because while filthy rich the source of Ben's fortune remains something of a mystery. The thing I loved was the way Yeun flawlessly and brilliantly played Ben's role in a nuanced, compelling way , bringing the complexity of his person so you couldn't stop falling for him (or maybe that was just me XD)
Omg I want to say soooo much but I'll stop now and please just watch this beautiful heartbreaking film.
And by the way this is one of those films that are entirely in metaphors just like Murakami especially Burning Barns (from The Elephant Vanishes if you're so inclined) so if you don't get metaphorical writing and visuals you probably won't get this film or the original story but let me know if you need some explanation feel free to pm me.
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This review may contain spoilers
Ambiguity, unanswered questions, intense seclusion, the divide between rich and poor, upbringing and a yearning for more in society. This was a slow burning (no pun intended), multi-layered masterpiece written and directed by auteur, Chang-dong Lee. Burning was one of the more gripping and mesmerising films that leaves you wanting more, despite the two hour and twenty-eight minute run-time. The film at its core is a love angle between three youthful Korean people with secrets and jealousy come to surface. This plays off one of Haruki Murakami's short stories in The Elephant Vanishes, "Barn Burning" perfectly, and develops that into a sinister rollercoaster.The story plants read hearings and foreshadowing perfectly multiple times in the film. Hae-Mi, a vulnerable woman representing all of the pressures of Korean society (society in general), who is insecure about her own looks, searching for a purpose, is at the heart of this. The pantomime scene strikes accord with you instantly, playing into the themes of uncertainty where Hae-Mi’s statements come under question in regards to validity. Is there a cat? Was there a well? Jong Su, expertly played by Yoo Ah-in, our main protagonist serves as the main focus throughout the run time as her searches for hope, Hae-Mi, after she mysteriously goes missing after bringing back Ben (Steven Yeun) from her trip to Africa. Ben, true to the aforementioned Barn Burning story, has an unusual hobby, burning greenhouses every two months, but serves as the root of Jong-Su’s jealousy. Not only due to his relationship with Hae-Mi, but his apparently wealth and his stress free lifestyle. The acting is so engrossing all the way through. The range of emotions and themes all perfectly blended in, with the help of the direction.
The story is a mystery. The mystery of Hae-Mi’s disappearance, the missing cat that Jong-Su’s been asked to look after, Ben’s involvement and Jong-Su being out to uncover it all. It’s hinted at that Ben’s hobby is only a metaphoric symbol for him preying on vulnerable women, Hae-Mi included. Jong-Su finding no greenhouses burnt, the apparent memberillia found in Ben’s bathroom of his previous girlfriends such as the pink watch Jong-Su gifted Hae-Mi at the start of the film, and the new cat Ben has taken in, one that answers to the same name of Hae-Mi’s missing cat - “Boiler”. This would ultimately seal the fate of, not only Ben, but Jong-Su too. This would lead to a sudden and antongnising ending that left a big imprint on my personal self.
The direction, cinematography and camera work is expertly crafted by Chang-Dong, with the help of Hong Kyung-pyo. Every shot was stunning, the use of dark colours fit the dreary motif of the events on the screen. The long shots allowed for an engrossing experience. The lingering camera work only heightens the tension and unease.
Overall, we are left with an arthouse film with an impactful story to tell. I’ll use that word again - masterpiece - it’s the only adjective that fits description.
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I was really ready to hate this movie when it sucked me in.
I am not a fan of vague and abstract films so I was worried that this would be disappointing in spite of the great cast. The pace is super slow, and the story is vague in many ways, but it's also very interesting, and surprisingly suspenseful. I can definitely say I had no idea where the story was heading, and the ending definitely made me feel uncertain but satisfied. "Burning" is the kind of movie that will haunt you with questions, and performances that certainly are noteworthy.I decided to watch this after seeing Jeon Jong Seo in "The Call" and as Hae Mi I can definitely see how this performance would get her noticed. Hae Mi is an awkward free-spirit, seductive, eccentric, and needy... and she is on a quest to find some meaning and inspiration in her life. Jeon Jong Seo nails all of that in her performance, and I can now confidently add her to my list of favorite actors already. Another favorite actor of mine is Yoo Ah In, who is brilliant as usual as Lee Jong Soo. Jong Soo is pretty similar to other roles he has played (a loner with pent-up aggression is what he does so well), but that doesn't make his performance less memorable. I love how he conveys so much without relying on dialogue. The chemistry these two have may not be what is normally meant by chemistry but it's what carries the intensity of this whole movie. The trio is completed by Steven Yeun as Ben, who is great at being mysterious and charming and rounds out the main cast well. Maybe it's because I haven't seen him in Korean movies or shows before, but he seemed a little more out of place... but that may have been on purpose. His performance was definitely great as well, along with his nuanced smile, and the dynamic of three of them together was enough to keep me interested alone. The third wheel energy is strong, but think less love triangle and more "what in the world is going on and why is it making me so uncomfortable?".
The story however is what I struggled with, and not just because of the slow-burning pace, but more because certain moments felt tedious. Visually it's beautiful, but not much "happens" in many of the early scenes. There are also some very graphic, almost gratuitously graphic sexual and nude scenes, that seemed too much for me when I couldn't figure out what the story actually was. It's about an hour and a half into the film when things finally start to come together, and the real suspense kicked in for me. That may seem too long for a lot of people, but I think the payoff is worth it.
Would I watch this again? Absolutely, and I already did! This is the type of film where knowing the end changes how you see the rest of it completely! It's also the type of story that will keep you wondering. During the first viewing I could feel how long the film was, but the second viewing dragged much less, and I wanted to analyze every moment. The end is still somewhat open to interpretation, but not in a lazy way that sacrifices storytelling for a cool shot, which I hate. I saw it more as us "knowing" the end without it having to be said, but there still is room for doubt or different perspectives, and that's what makes the story so haunting. What the story does best is play with the theme that some things can be believed in without being seen or confirmed, and also how perspectives can be totally different using everything from pantomime, a well, a greenhouse, to a random cat, and letting that prime us for a very suspenseful premise.
Overall, this movie has an arthouse feel, but it really is a thoughtprovoking mystery. I can't say too much more without spoilers, but if you're patient, the story unfolds in a captivating way. Now I am even interested in reading the story it's based on, although I'm sure this stands more on its own. I never read any Haruki Murakami before, but this definitely made me curious to see what the original story is like. I also may watch more Lee Chang Dong films if they are this interesting. This film took me on an intensely interesting journey that will stay with me for a while. Still, with the great direction, great performances, and an intensely suspenseful plot, I can see "Burning" being too extreme for mass appeal. I was really ready to hate this movie right before it sucked me in, and I'm glad I gave it a chance. The more time passes the more I like it... I changed my rating multiple times... this is a slow burning that stayed with me, and I feel like the longer the emotional fire burns the higher a rating it deserves. The film may not be exactly perfect but the title is.
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I don't have much more to say about it. I would't recommend this drama to anyone. In fact I would actively warn people not to watch it.
I was so excited for this drama when I saw the trailers, they made it feel like this was going to be a suspense story for the ages. In the end it was nothing short of boring.
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STOMACH CHURNING
I enjoy slow burn movies, especially mystery, but this one just takes it to a whole new level. Previous comments are right, it's not for everyone. I just felt there were a lot of unnecessary scenes spent peeing, masturbating and doing god knows what. It's really sickening and hard to watch. There's so little dialogue and the BGM is so dull. Everything is so quiet that you could fall asleep even though a murder was taking place or there was an explosion. It took me three days to finish this movie bcoz everytime it starts I fall asleep. I was willing to continue bcoz I'm familiar with the pace and I know it requires attention to pick up details but an entire hour+ to wait for things to pick up in a movie of 2+ hours is just too much. As for the climax, I know that it's a trend to leave a lot of questions to be answered by the audience themselves but unfortunately I couldn't really connect the dots in the end and still had to go look it up to understand, really sad.I should have known better since "old boy" was also recommended by the same blog.
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I’m spooked
I do enjoy slow burns from time to time but this was straight up ridiculous. I hate to be sour and write something bad but this movie really wasn’t giving anything at all. I know you don’t need jump scares or lots of blood to make a good thriller but this movie had no interesting or shocking parts, It was very predictable and was not suspenseful. I had high hopes for this movie and I’m extremely disappointed. I’m not sure why this movie has a good rating… I’m just glad I didn’t save my icecap for this movie.Was this review helpful to you?
Metaphors and Life meaning questions, and of course barn burning
Its a terrific movie, just may be they would have reduced the movie length by 10 min or so (WHERE ML alone scenes before BEN comes), would have been perfect.Still its a excellent movie 9.5.
Though movie seems prolonged, it has excellent metaphors, analogies , and deep questions.
Also importantly the meaning of Barn Burning by the author Murakami is portrayed well. (I would recommend to read that short story or summary after watching the movie, otherwise u might not be engaged)
Note; If some one expects sth to happen , its not going to happen. its very slowburn movie.
Lot of methaphors, life questions were included in the movie.
Excellent acting by all the cast especially 3 Leads. (JJS plays the role with such ease is mindblowing)
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The lead character, played by Yoo Ah In, is an introvert. He isn't seen interacting on a close level with anyone in the movie besides the lead girl, for which he develops feelings for after only a couple of encounters.
What I found specially interesting about this movie was that there aren't many lines in it. The characters don't need to say a lot, and you still understand how they are feeling because the storytelling is so intelligent. It is also paced in a way that doesn't get boring.
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Dark and Disturbing... When Parasite met Poetry....
" As I watched the sunset in the dessert, I felt that I too would like to disappear as if I never exist"This movie on the other hand is one of those that will most certainly not disappear silently, and makes sure you know it existed. As it is a highly acclaimed movie and it did have me thinking what am I. missing here, what is actually happening and will I understand this better if I watch this a second time? As there are quite a few moments of confusion planted there to make you question pretty much everything in this movie, including the meaning behind it. making my mind make loopholes so much my head hurt.
There is quite a bit of absurd extremely dark humour here and there .Some pretty deep lines and extreme tension in silence.
I also feel like i must warn you that this movie gives new meaning to the word greenhouse and you may have trouble looking at the Nam-sham tower (or any tower) the same way again.
And while some parts are kind of extreme, there seems to be quite a bit of social criticism, if I was to compare this to Parasite I would say that they share some of the same issues but this one is more psychological, young and most certainly more raw than Parasite. Catering to the critics rather than to the popular audience, something that adds brilliance and depth but removes some of the main stream entertainment value that i must say a peasant like me can adore.
However compared to Lee Chang Dongs (the director of this movie previous movie Poetry, this one has more action and entertainment value making me understand that a lot can happen to a director in 8 years... So on a scale of Mainstream/entertainment to Artistic depth this move is right between Parasite and Poetry
Defiantly a movie worth a watch and worthy of all its praise
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